


Beginning of the Ocean

by arminda



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Community: asscreedkinkmeme, Feels, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, really cool side character tbh, some smut in the later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:48:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4213779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arminda/pseuds/arminda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonardo was never a strong swimmer. And yet, he seemed drawn to the ocean in some way. He would walk along the sandy beaches by his home at dusk, stopping to stare into the void a while. The blonde would stand still for minutes at a time, letting the cold water lap at his ankles. Many people walked past him, but he paid them no mind. All he did was stare. Stare, and think.</p><p>"Something's out there."</p><p>And he would find it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> got this little idea from kinkmeme! 
> 
> its loosly connected to it in a way, or should i say...inspired by it! 
> 
> it does have some elements of the request to it, however. 
> 
> heres the link if you're interested! 
> 
> http://asscreedkinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/2158.html?thread=12201326#cmt12201326

Leonardo was never a strong swimmer. And yet, he seemed drawn to the ocean in some way. He would walk along the sandy beaches by his home at dusk, stopping to stare into the void a while. The blonde would stand still for minutes at a time, letting the cold water lap at his ankles. Many people walked past him, but he paid them no mind. All he did was stare. Stare, and think.

_"Something's out there."_

And he would find it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and yet another au  
> im in au hell i am drowning in aus 
> 
> this doesnt mean my other aus are canceled in any way!! i am working on them and giving them the love they deserve, and then some! 
> 
> enjoy!


	2. Salvador

Leonardo was an artist. He lived alone. He was a great inventor as well. He kept his designs secret, and wrote in code. He was as reclusive as he was brilliant. Not to say he didn't like company, but for the most part, he preferred to sit alone and think. 

On his free time, which he had a lot of these days, he would wander to the beaches. Sometimes he would stay all day, until his skin was kissed pink by the sun; his already blotchy skin threatening to spot even more freckles. 

Most of the time, he would bring his notebook, and crouch by the shallow tide pools, doodling whatever creatures he found in there. 

On days when he wasn't exploring the vast beaches by his house, he was inside, working on paintings that were commissioned by rich nobles. He didn't mind; he was known for his art, and he was glad to share his gift. 

He wasn't always obsessed with the ocean, but something had peaked his interest as of late. He had lived by the ocean almost all his life, and was lulled to sleep by the waves lapping at the shore, yes, but until recently, he had paid it no mind. 

Leonardo was walking in town aimlessly, hoping to find a new idea for one of his next pieces. He wandered through the bustling marketplace, where people shouted at each other in English, Spanish and Dutch, but mostly Italian. Leonardo took in the sights and smells eagerly, and craned his head to see every detail. 

A small lonely shack begged for his attention. The owner was reading a small scroll, scratching at his chin. Leonardo noticed he had no wares on his table, and he inched closer, cautiously. 

"Ah, señor!" The man called. "My name is Salvador, but please, call me Sal." His voice felt very warm and thick to Leo. Salvador's complexion was darker than Leonardo's and his black eyes shone brilliantly. He had a long scar on the ridge of his nose, and he had the air of a wise old man about him, despite his apparent youth. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Leonardo introduced himself and shrugged politely. "You seem to have no wares displayed." 

"I only display my wares to those who seem worthy of them. And you my friend," he paused, pulling out a lidded box from behind him. "Seem as worthy as I've ever seen." He winked. 

"If I might ask, what are you looking at there?" Leonardo pried, hoping he wasn't being too nosy. 

"This?" Sal held up the scroll. "An old drawing I found on the beach. Strange I know." He held it out. 

The scroll was water damaged, and Salvador handled it with care. Displayed on it was a creature Leonardo had only heard about in legend. The creature had the body of a human, but a long, strong tail in the place of legs. Characters littered the page, forming sentences that Leonardo couldn't understand. The text on the page seemed to be nothing Leonardo had ever seen, or even heard of. 

His eyes watered slightly, and his mouth gaped open. 

"You said you found this on the beach?" 

"In a washed up old trunk. Not one that seemed to have been made by humans, I might add. This, a couple of diagrams and one other thing were inside," Sal trailed off. 

"Do you, perhaps, have those with you?" Leonardo asked, his excitement growing visibly. 

Salvador laughed, a deep friendly laugh. "As I said. My wares only reveal themselves to those who are worthy. They are hidden in plain sight, if you are able to find them." 

Leonardo raised an eyebrow, and his gaze traveled to the abandoned box on the wooden table. His fingers wandered to the lid and carefully opened it. 

Salvador smiled. "Some potentials never think to look in the lidded box, surprisingly. I think it's because they consider it rude."

Leonardo blushed and quickly closed the box. 

"Open it," he seemed to demand. 

Leonardo did as he was told, and inside was a small, white chest, stained slightly by the sea water. It looked to be carefully crafted, but nothing like he'd ever seen before. And yet, there was a sense of human familiarity about it. 

He looked up at the merchant for approval and slowly undid the lock, opening the chest, to find more scrolls, all tied shut. On some of them, he could tell, were diagrams of what looked to be odd inventions. One thing, however, stood out from the rest. 

A large, off white seashell lay in the corner of the box. The conch was glimmering in the light, and it looked to have been untouched by man. Leonardo had never seen a shell like this before. 

And yet, something about it made it seem like it had some use to it. Perhaps it was the dull edges, or perhaps it was something the curious blonde could not put his finger on. 

"Signore," he began, unsure how to proceed. "Could I, perhaps. Borrow these? I would very much like to study them." He trailed off. "I would be oh so careful!" 

"There is no need."

"I understand."

"No." Sal sagged his shoulders a bit. "I would never lend these out". Leonardo felt his hopes fall. "They are not mine to give. Those who bestowed them upon me wish that I pass them on to someone worthy of them. Someone with pure intentions." He stared Leonardo in the face. "You seem untouched by greed." 

He handed Leonardo the large shell, which he took carefully. 

"Hold it up to your ear. Tell me, what do you hear.?"

"It sounds like I can hear the ocean!" Leonardo exclaimed in amazement. 

Salvador said nothing, only nodding. 

"There is something else," he paused. "It sounds like...voices? Someone singing, or calling..." He squinted. 

Salvador nodded more, and took back the shell, placing all the strange scrolls back in the box with it. He locked the trunk and tapped it with his finger. 

He seemed to be considering something, and finally, he made up his mind. He smiled warmly and handed Leonardo the box eagerly. 

"Have you ever heard of merpeople, señor?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked my little oc there haha  
> he's really cool and you'll be seeing more of him in the future!!  
> hes not really involved in romance if you were wondering. hes more of an...ally! 
> 
> anyway! next chapter to come soon, and hopefully a little more action!!


	3. The Legend Begins

“Merpeople?” Leonardo questioned. “Yes, I have. Hasn’t everybody?” 

“As a legend, yes. We have all heard of the ‘legend’ of merpeople.” 

“Are you….perhaps suggesting that these people are, in fact, not a legend?” Leonardo cocked an eyebrow. 

“Perceptive, aren’t we?” Salvador teased. “These items that I have passed on to you are from a great people, hidden deep beneath the sea. They are very much alive.” 

“And I take it, you did not simply ‘happen’ to this chest while you were walking on the beach, now did you Sal.” Leonardo wrapped his hands tighter around the chest and eyed the merchant suspiciously. 

Salvador chuckled. “Do not worry. I didn’t steal it if that’s what you’re implying.” Leonardo blushed at this comment. “I was entrusted with it. Believe it or not, I know the owners of the chest. They were very close to me. I am the protector of their legacy.” 

Leonardo’s eyes widened. 

“Can you tell me, signore?” 

“I am afraid not. Although the box has revealed itself to you, I cannot tell you the story of the owners of this box. Maybe they can tell you, themselves, if you find them.” He smiled mischievously. “You seem like a brilliant man, Leonardo. I have no doubt that you will discover the truth soon enough.” 

He waved Leonardo off, and Leonardo thanked the man. He turned around and walked away. When he looked behind his shoulder, all that remained of the merchant’s stall was a large cart of fruits. He raised an eyebrow, looking around for Salvador, but he seemed to have gone. 

Leonardo squinted and walked faster, eager to get home and examine the box’s contents closer. 

“How interesting…” he mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoops sorry this ones a bit short!!   
> posting the next one soon!!


	4. Shells

That had been weeks ago. Leonardo had not seen Salvador since then, and he seemed to have made no progress on discovering the truth behind the scrolls, much less, the large shell. 

He had made copies of the scrolls in his notebook and studied them there, taking notes and scribbling translations. He kept the official text safe in the box. The shell, however, he kept in a special padded pouch that he had constructed. He wore it around his shoulder whenever he walked on the beach and occasionally fiddled with it. 

Leonardo took a look outside; it was late, and he figured he should get some sleep. He yawned tiredly, and tidied up his desk before crawling into bed. He blew out the candle on his nightstand and slithered under the covers. 

He listened a while to the ocean waves in the distance and soon drifted off into an uneasy sleep. 

He tossed and turned, mumbling in the ancient tongue that he had read off the text. It seemed so familiar. Something about it was oddly human, much like the elaborate chest. He repeated the odd string of words in his dream. 

In his dream world, Leonardo seemed to be drowning. He waved his arms around madly as he was being sucked into the deep blue that surrounded him. He tried to scream, but choked on the salty water. His eyes burned and he shut them in fear and pain. He could feel the pouch holding the precious artifact slip away. Leonardo desperately tried to grab out, but could not see nor feel the pouch. He felt something swish past his feet. 

Terrified, Leonardo opened his eyes, awakening in a cold sweat. He threw the tangled covers off himself and shivered. He searched for a loose match, and lit his lamp to compose himself. 

He exhaled deeply and turned to the shell that lay on his desk. He cocked his head and squinted his eyes. In the dim light, it almost looked like it had holes on it. 

Leonardo gasped and jumped out of bed. 

They were holes! Leonardo could not imagine why this shell would have holes. Unless...

He took the shell in his hands cautiously and angled it downwards, staring at the sharp, thin end of the conch. 

Suddenly, it dawned on him. This shell was no ordinary shell. The voices he heard earlier were an illusion created by the wind rushing through the holes in the shell. Salvador had given him a hint!

What Leonardo had in his hands, was an instrument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear these look longer in google docs 
> 
> sorry theyre so short haha ! 
> 
> hope you enjoy nonetheless!!


	5. A Familiar Melody

Leonardo thrust open the chest anxiously and searched through the documents inside. He recalled seeing something that looked like a nonsensical series of dots. 

And yet, perhaps they could be notes for the instrument he had in his hands. 

"Aha!" He muttered to himself, having located the scroll in question. He unrolled it and studied it carefully, orienting it to fit the shell's notes. 

He blew into the shell as a test, and discovered that it made a pleasant sound. 

Leonardo had another revelation. In a dreamlike state, he placed the shell in his pouch around his shoulder, and grabbed a lantern and the scroll. 

In his night clothes and barefoot, he rushed out of his house, and down the cobblestone path to the beaches near his large home. 

He walked briskly, eager to reach the sandy beaches. 

Leonardo trudged through the sand and pebbles until he got to the water's edge. He stared out nervously at the black abyss in front of him. 

He sat down in the sand, unrolled the scroll, and readied the instrument. 

He looked over it one more time, and then he began to play a soft melody. It was a little over a minute long, and it sounded beautiful, and yet sad at the same time. It made Leonardo melancholy. 

When he was finished, he gathered his things, stood up, and waited a couple minutes. 

He didn't know what he was waiting for, but he waited. When nothing happened, he sighed and retreated to his home, visibly slower than before. 

~

Somewhere, not far from the beaches by Leonardo's home, in the depths of the ocean, a creature awoke. It stretched and cocked its head to see if it had heard properly. Its eyes widened, and it emerged from the cove where it had been hiding. It looked around cautiously, before speeding off towards the melody it knew so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaha guess who's making his appearance!!


	6. Savior

When Leonardo awoke, he was disappointed to discover that nothing had changed regarding the events that happened last night. He sighed and got out of bed to get dressed. Perhaps he would go back to the market. When he arrived, however, he was even more discouraged to discover that Salvador was not there. 

He huffed impatiently and walked along the beach once more. He stood in the same place as he had the previous night and remained there for a good ten minutes before moving on. In the distance, he saw a small shack renting canoes. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him and picked out a nice, hefty canoe. 

He rowed as far as he felt comfortable and sat in the canoe for almost an hour, before realizing he had not eaten breakfast. He grimaced and turned around, heading back to shore. 

This routine went on for two days, until something finally happened. 

This time, Leonardo had stayed out way past his regular hour at sea, and was beginning to feel the ill effects of extended direct heat exposure. He wiped at his brow, and wished that he had brought a ribbon with him to tie up his hair. 

Although he had gone out during mid day, the sun was now getting lower in the sky, and Leonardo figured he should head home for the night. He stood up rather quickly to get his bearings and immediately regretted that decision. 

His weight shifted awkwardly, and the water sloshed around under the canoe, tossing him overboard. The canoe drifted away, and Leonardo splashed around desperately. 

He felt the weight of the large shell in his shoulder pouch weighing him down, but he would never, not even if his life was at stake, let it out of his sight. Instead, he clutched at it tightly, and used the other arm in attempts to keep himself level. 

“Stay calm.” He told himself. “Everything is going to be okay. Just focus on swimming back to shore.” 

Leonardo tried with all his might to get his legs moving, but found that he was too weak to do so. He morbidly thought that he would die before ever uncovering the secret that Salvador had tried to share with him. He was never a strong swimmer, despite living by the beach. In his earlier days, he figured that it was pointless, since he seemed to have no desire to step foot in the water. 

Now, he wished he had at least learned the doggy paddle. With no one around, Leo’s circumstances looked grim. Slowly, he felt the last of his energy fade. He unwillingly succumbed to the water surrounding him as he desperately tried to pull himself closer to shore. 

His world started to go black as he felt the fatigue over powering him. He kicked his legs violently, refusing to give up that easily. Unfortunately for him, his body had had enough, and he found himself sinking deeper into the kelp bed that lingered below him. 

As his last breath left him, Leonardo felt strong hands around his waist, gripping him protectively, pulling him towards the shore. He felt a hand brush past his shell in the pouch and then he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao why are the chapters so short im sorry ahah 
> 
> its just that i like the element of suspense, so i usually cut them off where i think is the biggest cliff hanger im so sorry 
> 
> take a wild guess at who saved Leonardo haha


	7. A New Cove

When Leonardo awoke, he was sprawled on the sand. He squinted as he felt the sun sting his eyes. He stood up and looked around anxiously, wondering who it was that saved him. The sun was setting fast, and Leonardo tried to get his bearings. He was back on the beach, yes, but this was a part of the beach by his house that he never traveled. It was a secluded cove, where you had to climb over some upturned trees to get to. Leonardo felt that the effort wasn’t worth it to him, and left this place unexplored. 

He really wished he had visited this place earlier; it was beautiful. There was a small cave, where the sand glittered in the sunlight. The ground was littered with shells, and the small cove seemed to be untouched by man. Leonardo felt as though he was the first man to step foot on this particular area. 

He looked down at his leg, which had started to sting. He noticed a rather large gash on his calf and waded into the shallow water to clean the wound. 

He winced when the salt stung his leg, and quickly shuffled out. Having cleaned his wound and established his bearings, Leonardo worked on figuring out what exactly had happened to him. 

He was on his canoe, and he fell overboard. The canoe drifted away, and Leonardo nearly drowned. He was saved by someone, but he did not know who. 

Suddenly, Leonardo snapped back to his senses. Who saved him? 

His hands flew to his pouch; thankfully the shell was still there, though it seemed as though someone had taken it out, then hastily returned it. Leonardo raised an eyebrow and looked around suspiciously. 

Leonardo sighed and turned to climb over the trees to get back to the main beach. As he turned around, he heard a splash behind him. Startled, Leonardo fell backwards, and searched the bank. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone in the water. 

“Hello?” Leonardo called out cautiously. Nobody returned his call, and he called out again. 

“Ashké*?” A voice called back. 

Puzzled, Leonardo tried to keep up the conversation. “I’m not gonna hurt you! My name is Leonardo! Who are you?” 

“Zeh-ă yanae, Ezio.*”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations!! 
> 
> Ashké- "Hello" like a questioning hello. a greeting would be "ashka" 
> 
> Zeh-ă yanae, Ezio - literally translated to "I am called Ezio", but more like our way of saying My name is Ezio. 
> 
>  
> 
> lmao wow this is short 
> 
> aaAAANd another cliffhanger!! 
> 
> i guess i'm notorious for those. 
> 
> also im making up my own language for this!! Let's see how this goes. 
> 
> I guess its called "Aclean" and they are the mermen are all part of the Aclean people,,,, and Ezio's family is of the Auditore Aclean line!!
> 
> more coming soon !


	8. Strangers

Leonardo raised an eyebrow. He had heard some of this odd language before. He remembered reading it somewhere… 

Ah! He had read it on the scrolls!! Was the person who saved him, and the person talking to him, a mermaid? 

He slowly approached the water once more and waded in. He heard a splash again, and something darted underwater. 

“Please don’t leave! I won’t hurt you!” He pulled the shell out of the pouch. “Do you know what this is?” 

Leonardo saw something poke its head out from where it was hiding. Slowly, a figure came into view and swam closer to Leonardo. Frightened, Leonardo started walked backwards to the sand slowly. The figure continued to follow. 

Leonardo sat down on the sand and placed the shell by his side. The figure hesitated before emerging from the water and dragging itself across the sand to sit by the blonde. 

Leonardo could hardly believe his eyes. He studied what was in front of him. A tanned, dark haired figure sat next to him. It looked to be male. Leonardo had to admit; he was incredibly youthful looking and handsome. He had brown, shoulder length hair, which fell scruffily, as though it had not been cut in a while. The merman had an angular face, with defined eyebrows and cheekbones. Leonardo noticed, however, that the merman had somewhat of a baby face to him, as he could see that his cheeks were still a bit squishy and pink. He had a pronounced nose, and a scar on the right side of his lip, which looked to be fresh. Leonardo also noted that the creature seemed to have slightly pointed teeth. 

He had gills on his neck and the sides of his abdomen. He seemed to be bare, save a black beaded necklace he wore, and a red ribbon that he had tied around his wrist. He had odd looking fins on either side of his head, which were the same color as his tail, which Leonardo figured must be his ears. 

His fingers were webbed, and he had scales and smaller fin-like things running from underneath his armpits, across his elbows, and to his wrists. His tail was long, and dusty blue, almost grey. It shimmered in the low sunlight. His tail was about as long as his body, and his large fluke added to its length. His fluke was almost the same color as his tail, only a bit lighter. It was slightly transparent, and looked to have slight jagged edges. The merman had two fins on either side of his tail, and had large fins running down his back to the midsection of his tail. 

Leonardo noticed that the merman had cuts and bruises around his abdomen and back that seemed to be in the process of healing. The merman also looked unusually skinny, though his tail was well defined and muscular. Leo noted that he could see the merman’s ribs, as if he hadn’t eaten properly in a while. 

The merman raised an eyebrow and studied Leonardo as well. 

They both said nothing, simply looking at each other and taking in the sights. 

Finally, Leonardo opened his mouth again. 

“Can you speak English?” He questioned. 

The creature nodded. “I am Ezio.” He managed. 

“Oh! Ezio is your name!” Leonardo smiled. “My name is Leonardo! You can call me Leo.” He offered. “How did you learn to speak English?” 

“I am an Auditore.” Ezio said. “My family is the Auditore, of the Aclean people.” He began. “I learned English when I lost them. I learned from boat people.” 

“Boat people?” Leonardo questioned. “Oh! You must mean sailors!” 

Ezio nodded and flopped his tail a bit. 

“And you don’t need to stay in the water?” 

Ezio frowned and shook his head. “I can stay out of water. But if I get too dry, I will die.” He informed. 

“So we’ve got to keep you hydrated, then.” Leonardo made a mental note. 

The sun began to set and the stars shone above them. 

“You don’t have a home to go to?” 

“No. I do not have a home. Or a family. I have been lost from both.” 

“You don’t know where your family is?” 

“Sailors invaded our home with fire weapons. They called themselves the Templars.” 

Leonardo had heard of them. They were a band of pirates and plunderers who often terrorized smaller ships at sea. Perhaps they were trying to catch the mermaids and sell them for profit. How awful! Leonardo thought. 

“We had a treasure box. Filled with stories of our family. When they attacked, my parents set it free and it was personally handed to its protector. He swam away with our secrets to protect us. I do not remember his name, but he was a friend. Inside was a shell.” Ezio continued. “A shell that is used to call all the members of my family together. When I heard the melody my mom used to sing to me, I thought it was her. If I heard it, then she must have as well, and the rest of my family too.” 

Leonardo held up the shell in question. “I played that! And you think that your family can be called with this?” 

“I know it. But if they are far, we need to make the noise louder.” 

“I am an inventor!” Ezio cocked an eyebrow questioningly. Leonardo quickly clarified. “I make things. Maybe there is a way for me to make your shell louder!” 

Ezio grinned widely. “We can find my family!” 

“We can try! And I think I know the guardian of the secrets! I have your family's chest at my house! I can go talk to him when I see him again!” Leonardo looked up at the sky. “But it’s late now, I don’t think he is at the market anymore.” He sighed. 

They said nothing for a while, before Leonardo opened his mouth again. “My house is not far from here. Will you be fine staying here for the night? I will come back tomorrow when the sun sets, and I will bring the chest with me! For now, I think you should get some rest. You’ve come a long way.” Leonardo stood up and secured the shell again. Ezio nodded and slithered back into the water.

“Thank you for saving me.” Leonardo smiled. 

“Thank you for finding me.” Ezio whispered back. 

Leonardo blushed and nodded. He turned to climb over the trees and ran back to his house. Ezio found a deep area in the water and buried deep under the sand. He slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the doodle as a reference for what Ezio looks like!! 
> 
> http://hamburgerhomo.tumblr.com/post/122615617255/merman-ezio-as-part-of-my-ezileo-au-fanfiction
> 
> also if what Ezio is saying sounds odd, he speaks broken english! he'll get better with time! they'll both teach each other their own languages! Ain't that cute? 
> 
> this chapter is a little longer than the rest; hopefully they'll all be like this!! 
> 
> hope you guys are enjoying so far!!


	9. Before the Meeting

Leonardo awoke late the next morning. He had been up almost all night, unable to think. He kept running over fantasies in his mind, wondering where the merman had come from, and what amazing story he had to tell. He brooded over the documents in the chest to see if he could get some new glimpse of information he had seen before, but could not find any. He tried to see if he could find a new song for the shell. When he finally went asleep, his sleep was uneasy. 

He tossed and turned and constantly woke up. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, stretching. He figured he could go get some late lunch at the marketplace and see if Salvador was back. He dressed himself and headed out. Perhaps he might do some exploring around town until it was time to go back to meet Ezio. 

Leonardo spent a vast amount of time wandering the long cobblestone street lined with shops. He bought some small sandwiches from a nice lady that he knew well and ate them as he peeked at the shops. He stopped by where Salvador’s stand had been, but the only thing that awaited him was an empty stall. Salvador was nowhere to be seen. Leonardo scratched his chin and walked away. 

Before he knew it, the day had eluded him, and he figured he should be heading back to the cove to meet Ezio. He raced back to his home and grabbed all the artifacts that Salvador had given him. He made sure nobody was watching him, and he quickly snuck off to the cove.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one is so short haha 
> 
> i need a bit more inspiration to make a longer one-- 
> 
> don't worry, they'll get longer soon!!


	10. Fishing Lessons

It was hardly dark yet, but Leonardo couldn’t wait any longer. When he arrived, Ezio seemed to be asleep on the sand by the shore. Leonardo smiled and gently nudged him. Ezio awoke with a start and yawned, stretching. He flipped his tail around and arched his back. 

“How was your day today, Ezio?” 

“I slept.” 

“For the entire day?” Leonardo snorted slightly. 

Ezio nodded. “It was a long journey.” 

Leonardo laughed, not unkindly, and sat down made himself comfortable by Ezio. He told him all about the marketplace, and the different stalls with various things such as medicines, homemade trinkets, and food. 

Ezio clutched his stomach as it growled when Leonardo was talking about the food. Ezio blushed and quickly looked away. 

“You hungry, Ezio?” Leonardo looked once again at the man’s abdomen. He remembered that he had seen his ribs the first time he saw him. Although he was muscular around his chest, he did seemed to be rather thin around his stomach. Now that Leonardo thought about it, he wondered when the last time he had a proper meal was. “Have you been able to feed yourself properly since you were separated? 

Ezio shook his head. “We hunt in packs. Like dolphins. If someone can hunt by themselves, it means they are very good hunter. They are the best of our tribe. We only go to hunt by ourselves if we want a small snack.” He grimaced and clutched his stomach. “It is hard for me to get enough food by myself. I am still young. My brother, Federico was a good hunter. I was supposed to learn from my father and uncle soon.” 

Leonardo frowned. “Perhaps I can help.” 

“You hunt underwater?” 

Leonardo cleared his throat awkwardly. “Well….no.” Ezio’s face fell. “But I do know how to get you some food! Wait right here.” 

He got up and quickly sprinted through the sand. He ran to the fisherman’s shack where he had rented his canoes. He purchased a nicely made fishing net and a wooden bucket and ran back as fast as he could. When he got back, he saw Ezio laying on his back in the sand, waiting for him. 

Leonardo smiled and held up the net. 

“What is that thing?” Ezio questioned. 

“A fishing net! You hold it in the water, and when the fish swim by it, you lift it up and catch the fish!” Leonardo looked excited. “I helped the fisherman design this net a while ago!” 

Leonardo kicked off his shoes and rolled up his pants. He waded into the water with the net, and Ezio followed. 

“Let me show you! Come, give me a hand!” 

Leonardo swam walked out further into the cove, where a couple of large, fat looking fish were swimming. He gestured for Ezio to hold the other side of the net, and they lowered it into the water. 

“Alright….now! Lift up the net!” 

They acted quickly, and caught a couple fish. Ezio’s eyes widened as he watched Leonardo toss the fish into the bucket. 

“Again now!” Leonardo called excitedly. 

They continued until they had a bucket load of fish. Ezio swam over to the bucket eagerly. He followed Leonardo like a shark as Leonardo dragged the bucket and the net back to shore. 

He handed Ezio, who seemed to be drooling at this point, the bucket full of fish. 

“Ganae*.” Ezio thanked him graciously. “Thank you.” 

He gripped the raw fish in his claw like fingers and quickly killed it. The fish immediately stopped flopping, and Ezio bit into the raw fish with his sharp teeth. Very sharp teeth, Leonardo noted. Almost like a shark’s. 

Ezio ate quickly, as though there was no tomorrow. Ezio offered Leonardo a fish, which he politely declined. 

Leonardo gathered some wood and started a small fire by a cave like opening near the cove. He scooted the chest closer and Ezio nudged himself over to Leonardo’s side. He smelled of raw fish. Leonardo wrinkled his nose slightly. Ezio wiped some of the raw fish guts off his lips and reached into the bucket for another fish. 

Leonardo opened the chest and carefully removed the documents. Ezio’s eyes widened and he almost choked on his fish. He spit out the fish bone and threw it aside, reaching into the bucket once more. 

“I know these scrolls. I have read some of them before.” 

“You can read these?” Leonardo gasped. 

Ezio nodded. “I can read them to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations!: 
> 
> Ganae- means thank you!! 
> 
> anyway, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed! the story is starting to kick off now! 
> 
> the reason why these are so short all the time is because I literally write these all in one go and then post them when i'm done! 
> 
> also because im a sucker for cliffhangers ! 
> 
> :y


	11. The Past

Ezio idly ate his fish before pushing the bucket away, having been finally satisfied. He grinned at Leonardo before grabbing for one of the documents. He studied it for a second while Leonardo looked at him anxiously. 

“This is my family’s history.” He traced the lines on the page. “It tells of our family’s ancestors and the leaders of the tribe of those who came before us.” 

“How interesting.” Leonardo starred as Ezio’s eyes scanned the page hungrily. He had a look of longing in his eyes. 

Ezio seemed to be staring at what looked to be his side of the family. Leonardo saw that his family was a large one, he had an uncle, as well as a happily married mother and father. Ezio had two brothers, one younger and one older, as well as a younger sister. They seemed like a happy family. There were others on the document, but they weren’t directly connected. Some of the names were blotted out and damaged by the water. 

“What happened to them?” Leonardo cleared his throat awkwardly. “Your family that is. If you don’t mind me asking.” 

Ezio sighed put the document back in the trunk. “It’s a long story. It is not a happy one either.” He looked down and it was silent for a couple minutes. “I will tell you.” 

Ezio opened his mouth and began to speak his woeful tale. 

His family was the leader of the Aclean people. They were a large family and they worked together to help keep the tribe healthy. Ezio was a sort of prince. His older brother would be next in line, but nonetheless, Ezio was still was what humans would consider royalty. The mermaids were ceaselessly hunted by a band of pirates called the Templars. The Aclean people, most importantly, the Auditore family, were perhaps the most hunted, as they were known for their riches and their secrets of the ocean. 

These secrets were kept in a trunk, which was guarded by a brave warrior. The trunk also contained the history of the tribe and their leaders. The Templars swore that they would steal them away. One night, the Templars had found the Aclean tribe’s home. They had kept it hidden for years, but finally, the Templars had caught up to them. 

They attacked swiftly, with sharp weapons and harpoons and weapons that shot fire. Ezio described through his own eyes, in his broken English as best he could. 

When the raid happened, Ezio was swimming alone not far from the tribe. He heard screaming and he saw harpoons being spot into the water and nets were dropped in. Barrels were dropped down and the surface of the water began to catch fire. Ezio swam desperately to locate his family members. When he found them, they were in their villa. Ezio saw his parents stuffing documents and an instrument into the chest. They handed it off to the guardian of the people and their secrets and he swam away as fast as he could, hoping to keep the Aclean culture alive. 

As Ezio swam towards his family, a weapon cut through the water and cut his lip. It bled profusely and the water around him turned red. He clutched his mouth and embraced his parents. They told them they would have to swim to the rendezvous point. Only the elders of each family knew where it was, so they urged him to stay close. His father pulled out his the red ribbon in his hair and handed it to his son to stop the bleeding as best he could. 

Ezio swam quickly, trying his best to keep up, but as they swam away from the village, he saw the nets being dropped. He tried to dodge them, but they were weighted and dropped down. Diving bells fell and people came with them. They brandished more of their terrible weapons. Ezio was tackled by one of them, and he fought them off. He clutched his red ribbon and tried to locate his parents through the stirred up water. 

He couldn’t find them. As he searched, he swam into a net and clawed at it desperately. He called for his parents through his tears. The net began to drag him away from the last place he saw his parents. He could feel himself being pulled to the surface. He tied his father’s ribbon around his wrist tightly and scratched at the rope and bit at it until his fingers and gums bled. He finally broke free and swam away as fast as he could, in the opposite direction; away from his family, and the Templars. 

He didn’t know if he would ever see them again. He spent days alone, no idea where he was, hiding and only swimming for hours at a time, the whole time calling for his family. He had trouble catching enough food to eat. He had been learning English from his parents occasionally, but he mainly spoke in Aclean. He learned the majority of his broken English from sailors. He listened to them in secret, hoping to find some word or rumor of his people. 

Then, he heard Leonardo play the song of his people on the shell, and he swam to where he heard the noise. Then he met Leonardo. 

“And that is the finish of my story.” He stared up at the stars and folded his arms, laying his hands in his lap. 

Leonardo said nothing and simply stared at the stars with him for a long while. He lay down on his back and gestured for the merman to do the same.  
They lay down in the sand huddled together, watching the shooting stars above them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoops!!  
> sorry its been a while, i've been on summer vacation, as well as signing up for my college classes and stuff 
> 
> hopefully the updates will be a bit faster now !! 
> 
> the story's picking up quickly soon!! :D


	12. Lullaby

It was late when Leonardo began to yawn and rub at his eyes. Ezio noticed that Leonardo was getting sleepy and he smiled fondly at the human and patted him on the thigh gently. He was hesitant at first, but he soon became comfortable with it. Leonardo shuddered a bit but then blushed and stared into Leonardo’s eyes. 

“You are sleepy?” Ezio asked, raising his eyebrows. 

Leonardo yawned again and nodded weakly. 

Ezio smiled and laughed a bit. “This reminds me of a song my mother used to sing for me. It was a good night song.” He hummed. “She taught it to me, and I memorized it.” He looked at the sky. “My brothers always say I have the best voice they have heard from a merman. Do you like me to sing to you?” He asked shakily. 

Leonardo nodded eagerly this time. “Oh, Ezio! Of course! That would be lovely! I would love to hear you sing!” He clapped his hands together lightly and smiled from ear to ear. 

Ezio looked over at the blonde and grinned a toothy grin, and slowly, he opened his mouth and began to sing, in a language foreign to Leonardo. 

“Chană, ni Ezio.   
Eschpe-ă e eschpu yanu.   
Eschpi, ghashă ye ni escke   
Uniă ze aclea, ye ze acleu   
Na-ă, zneh.” * 

Ezio sang a beautiful lullaby, and it brought Leonardo to tears, although he couldn’t quite understand it. He sighed lightly and stared into the merman’s soft, brown eyes. He smiled at him, sniffling a little. The lullaby was so soothing, and yet, Leonardo could detect a hint of sadness in it. It seemed...lonely. To be separated from your family, your culture, your entire world? Leonardo could hardly think about it. 

Ezio was probably in a lot of pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> translations: 
> 
> * “Sleep now, my Ezio   
> Tomorrow is a better day   
> Tonight, listen to my voice   
> Follow the sea to the stars  
> Be at peace”
> 
> a/n: sorry for the incredibly late update!! I haven't abandoned this, and I do have plans to finish it! thanks for hanging in there! i've just had a bit going on with college and my laptop crapping out on me so I'm working around that!  
> also sorry for the short update! i have plans for the next part, but they didnt seem to fit in this chapter, so i'll hopefully be updating soon!   
> thank you and as always, enjoy!


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